Shinichi's Conan Case
by The Imagination World
Summary: One year had passed in the seven year old phase, yet Conan didn't tell her. Now he ultimately decides to confess his love to her. But the drama and mystery is left to be unfold that'll revolve with certain darkness.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello! I'm new to this fanfic site, so I'm glad that I'm starting with one of my favorite anime show 'Detective Conan'. For this amateurishness, maybe you guys will find lots and lots of flaws all around. Keep up with me. Hope you'll like it..**

**Oh I've to give the Disclaimer..Already Gosho Ayoma and his team did their greatness and I don't want to claim such a cute and well storyline containing show! **

* * *

**Now or never **

Outside the storm had finally decided to stop, still the last cool breeze blowing though. One cannot expect such a storm to rush through the plains of Beika City and that to near the onset of winter in November. How much noise of downpour or the rustling of leaves were heard outside, inside was calm, even a heartbeat was easy to detect. And in the building where the main concern delved with life and death, so all of there were the sounds of electrocardiographs.

Ran slowly opened her eyelids, letting the lights of her cabin to refract her lenses. Opening her eyes was not a big task but moving her head proved to be. "Urgh!", she gasped with slight pain as her head still bore the same injury it had 3 hours ago. It got annoying for her only to satisfy herself in straight military type pose. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what exactly happened with her.

Departmental store…

Conan…beside her walking…..

Three petty robbers….masked faces….

And…..!

She deduced-one of the robbers had taken Ran as seize, had pointed a gun on her head and accidentally shot her right through her brain. Yeah, the bullet accurately had ripped my brain cells, then how am I alive? I should be now in full pain..or in coma or whatever, but…not a square inch I feel any bullet shot patient must be!

Wait..how am I here? Who brought me here? I don't suppose Conan to be carrying me!

After a minute of self mumbling, she pushed the random thoughts, "If anyone is here, can please tell me the exact time?", she questioned for knowing anyone's presence and the time both. She remember Kogoro had an appointment with his recent client so he was keeping on straightening Ran's hair by the demand of food. Unavailability of some food stuffs persuaded her to visit the the nearby store and then make a lunch for the super busy one. And now it was expected to be late..if her dad didn't knew!

"Ah Ran you don't have to talk, I'm here so just whisper me your needs", then he adjusted his right hand to focus on his wrist watch, "2 pm, anything else?"

"Shi-Shi-Shinichi! How you can be..how you know!", Ran felt like every words in her heart wanted to erupt through her mouth by catching glimpse of him. Both knew each other from childhood phase, things were so known about each other untill the day at Tropical Island…And Shinichi appearing to her for less than occasionally seemed to be like a comet of him!

"Ran it was good you got slight hemorrhage, only. The bullet just brushed through the skin of your skull! So in order to get perfectly fine you should cooperate by not getting excited!", Shinichi said in his most calming tone, gently caressing her bandaged head. He understood Ran wanted to sit up, so he helped her to do it.

"You didn't answer my question!", she pouted, though feeling warmth having him beside.

"Conan called me, to take you to the hospital."

"What about those robbers?"

"Those three? Well..the one holding you got a good bicycle kick from your dear brother after he shot you. They are now having peaceful time in their desired place!"

"Conan did it alone!"

"That was easy for him, as he said. Big thing was he should have kicked in right time, just a fraction of a second late got you here on the patient's bed!" It was true he felt his timing was incorrigible and unforgiving given how his fault got Ran nearly sacrifice her life. If that how it went, god also don't know if he ever could forgive himself.

Only one carried a pistol, the others were more engrossed in imitating that to fear all the customers. From since Ran was caught in order to force all the people to throw their purses and wallets towards them, Conan kept on thinking ways. Ways how to defeat them. As soon as the idea of putting off and kicking his own shoes towards that pistol man came in his mind, the evil did his deed.

Then all the drama and action followed. After successfully handing over the goons to the cops, he sought the plan of turning back to his teen form. Three antidotes are still left with him, and Conan carried it everytime he was with Ran. The excitement with the amount of antidotes was surpassed by the grief of the lesser duration he availed as Shinichi. Why such a necessary evil Ai gave him?

With less time as Shinichi, the less time he got to transform. Who knows after repeated usage, the antidote mustn't be active as long as five hours? He couldn't curse anyone knowing that won't help, so he blamed the strong immune system of his! After making a comeback as Shinichi, the more he felt obsession to confess everything to Ran-his state and feelings both.

And when the appropriate time came, everytime his nervous system ached to the fullest, in the most crucial time. Thus ended leaving a badly hopeful and lamented Ran. Though she always fell less than required tears for his unknown leave, Shinichi well knew her heart crushed into million pieces. And he was the damn eccentric to leave all these in the hands of fate.

Shinichi realized his resistance to the antidote was increasing at a faster rate, and maybe this time spending in a hospital with Ran must be the last one in his adolescent stature. Now or never…he thought while looking at Ran expecting her to sleep. She didn't. The fear he would leave again in her sleep strained her eyes to open as possible.

"Ran..I think I have something to tell you..", he murmured in a very quite volume, only she could hear. And he unaware, slowly wrapped his hand around hers.

"For your words..I'm waiting till now..whatever, tell me!", Ran forgot she was speaking directly with Shinichi, not over the phone as if her true colors on the face couldn't be watched.

"There have been something for which I was..away..not only cases but other situations also. I should have told you before! For a year now, I've been waiting for the opportunity to tell you. No matter what we have both gone through..you were more than everything in my world. Ran..whatever I did that hurt your soul, I'm sorry. Because those very actions were meant to tell you the truth which were obstructed many a times"

He took a deep breath to tell the vital words. Ran kept on holding her breath, because she forgot how to breath when such a moment like this appeared. Shinichi abruptly clutched both her hands into his tightening the grip and brought to his lips. "I love you..Ran, and you're my everything!"

A moment of long silence. Both remained in the same position, except Ran twitched her eyebrows and made her eyes big like a ping pong ball. "And I'm not saying without thinking or in a haste", he assured his words to her by brushing her fingers over his lips.

"Hmm..I see!" Ran muttered, lowering her gaze on her blanketed lap.

"Ran?" Shinichi felt he did a colossal mistake. Did Ran expected something else? Or she's now more into someone else? But she had said with great agony how she wanted to tell him..or it was not involved with feelings?

"And this took you a year? Poor easy detective!" a small twinkle like smile crept on her face, shining the plain patiently look. This sudden words shook Shinichi when absorbed in deep thoughts. "Stupid! You made me wait for such a long time", and she cupped his face, looking into his azure pupils, "With all heart, I love you and will forever!"

It was normal for Ran to shed happiness-after-a-year tears, instead Shinichi's tears rolled over on his cheeks. He was but more into the warmth of hers, taking in the strawberry scent of her hair, erasing all other thoughts. This was the ultimate bliss he looked forward to. He still couldn't believe he said it! But..

But…he knew if he confessed his love to Ran, she would miss her more now, maybe the most! No..I only wanted to say what I wanted..and we've been in too many hurdles in past. More than that, she's seemed to be happy equally! Still…

Still the confusion remained.

"Shinichi..well at last you said it!", Ran's blue stars glowed in watts unexplainable.

"So, we're now lovers apart from best friends right?"

"Uh..uh!", they kept looking into their same hued eyes, swept by each other's aura. Shinichi felt the grip on his face by her hands was securing more, simultaneously lowering his head over hers. It got to be that…that special touch..

As the distance between them decreased, their noses brushed against each other. The hot breath of his fell on her lips. Finally, he wound his hands around her waist. Their lips met for that special touch..the so called affection any lover's showed.

They were absorbed in this phenomenon so much that the torment had occurred again didn't got their attention, though the beats of the fury were matching quakes in their hearts simultaneously. Because…both had waited for this despite how many hours had went by.

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**A/N: Well this was a prologue, teaser or trailer whatever you wanna call it..so it's way too short. Actually the theme of it kept bugging in my sleep and later in the morning it sprouted to a whole story! So next chapters will be somewhat lengthier than this. And about the criticism..please guys do keep criticize in the form of reviews so that I know if the story can launch or not, and by that I'll also get to know if the fanfic to be updated anymore. Because a writer without criticism can't improve. So read and review *puppy dog eyes***


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry for the late, since my monstrous exams were going on and now I've got some days of break so I can update often maybe. Thanks to all who have favourited or followed the story.**

**Sticky notes: Italics are for thoughts, and flashback if written so.**

**Responses to reviewer:-**

**Midnightkiss56****-Absolutely you have no idea how enthralled I felt/ still feeling when in midnight I found the first review for any fanfic works! Thousand thank you(s)! I loved the way you said and not just only "loved it, please update!" kinda sentences. I hope sure you'll read this one too!**

**Warmth and Coldness**

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Flashback

"_Shinichi..well at last you said it!", Ran's blue stars glowed in watts unexplainable. _

"_So, we're now lovers apart from best friends right?"_

"_Uh..uh!", they kept looking into their same hued eyes, swept by each other's aura. Shinichi felt the grip on his face by her hands was securing more, simultaneously lowering his head over hers. It got to be that…that special touch.._

_As the distance between them decreased, their noses brushed against each other. The hot breath of his fell on her lips. Finally, he wound his hands around her waist. Their lips met for that special touch..the so called affection any lover's showed. They were absorbed in this phenomenon so much that the torment had occurred again didn't got their attention, though the beats of the fury were matching quakes in their hearts simultaneously. Because…both had waited for this despite how many hours had went by. _

Her heart did cartwheels, and his heart pounded so furiously that the ribcage acted as a barrier for the sudden vibration. After all, this superb-awesome-Meitantei-but-falling-short-in-cupid-related-things managed to do a miracle. Her lips felt so soft over his, he doubted why didn't he kissed her before. _Damn this Conan disguise._

Slowly the amateur kisser inched himself from the once childhood best friend. There was a glitter in her eyes, blue orbs glistening more. And Shinichi was cent percent sure, the adventure didn't crashed down the hill.

Ran's hands fidgeted with his hair, twitched her shoulders, then clasped her palms in the most animated (I mean 'anime' also) manner, as if flying over the clouds, she squeaked (which made Shinichi think Sonoko's traits transported to her), "And so many a times you left hints on the road that you wanted to say something, then ended up going somewhere, pretty jerk!"

"Yeah..um, right you are!" Shinichi let out a small laugh and replied by cocking his head shying and running his fingers on back of his head just the typical way when his love related emotions were detected at one go and couldn't help in being silly.

And suddenly..the nerves exploded in the most unfashionable manner..

Eyes wanted to burst out of the appropriate location of his skull…

Every part of the skin reacted as if it touched the hottest temperatures of newest lava…

Breathing had hitched..body temperature rocketed to infinity..

Head felt a thousand ton stone decided to jump on it…

Ofcourse the worst all these symptoms meant! Not he could hold Ran's hands anymore, Bad Timing!

It pressurized his vocal cords to produce even monosyllables, "R-Ra-Ran! Ran! I-I hafta-", with one hand shakily travelled to his left chest.

"What happened t-to you!" Ran found she too stammered like him. Shinichi dragged himself; when all muscles and bones decided to call a strike and won't move; all to his willpower. He at once managed to brush off the helping hand of the girl.

"No you let me help you-"

The tremendous ache withered away, temporarily. Somehow the antibody-antigen functioning with his antidote stopped giving him a final moment to let him speak whatever he wished to. "Ah Ran it was nothing!" he regained his stature in a firm position, as if to give his graduation speeches on the stage, and didn't wasted the seconds, "I have to go."

She blinked, in an attempt to register and digest the persistence of rapid visions. _One time hitched to stand up, the other time completely fine?_ "It's not a an action flick please!", she heard herself to mumble it. "Take time, adjust, and then talk mister!"

"Ran, I'm serious! Now I'm going to leave you here-"

"You will go, again, as routinely!", Ran failed to hide the desperate tears that had started to form dews on her eyes' bottoms. She slowly withdrew her hands from his and looked beside her window, the torment now matching her current feelings.

"No Ran, I mean, I can't go anywhere, but still I'm going..", It was so hard for him to say, for the Detective of the East, such fickle words that did create in his mind but not coming on his mouth. _Worse than worst!_

"I don't mean you can't go, but I will miss you more than now", The feelings in the form of speech came off of her lips without her will wholly. Since she decided to face the window in order to hide her want of him, she thought he couldn't see that smile had changed into mournful paint on her face.

Shinichi thought again, and this time seriously. Letting out a gulp of misty air, he remarked straight-headily, "One thing I'm asking you to do. I'm maybe a detective but whose feelings are already red-hand caught by you, there is no wonder you can't do this. So..you do ponder what's with me that's keeping me away from you-"

"And where you fly everytime!", Ran asked in a very cold gesture, given the present situation.

"No, I only reside in your heart! You just have to find what the hell happening with me, and after you deduct correctly, I will remain always to your close. I promise!" The pain again arrived marching cheerfully, interrupting further conversation.

"Now I leave you, best of luck!", with kissing her for last time, he fled abnormally. And Ran played with hem of the blanket, her mind occupied with a certain detective as per he told, whom she caught red-handed. She sighed and decided to rest her injured head on the pillow. The moments with Shinichi also hovered in her dreams. How she wished he permanently was beside her. Wait! He did said he was in her heart?!

* * *

Haibara had the peculiar habit of oscillating her small limbs in the air when seated. The scratch of once being a full grown teenager but now a seven year old kid prompted her to do, since her legs like her mind wanted everytime she sat to touch the ground. Who knew the girl with a paranormal evil smirk and acting so precisely but coldly had a soft heart. Where no one had access, and all secrets stayed happily secured.

Not even a person she was sure would be concerned with her long absence. Though the Black Organization would for she was the greatest scientist they could ever use for those experiments. Remembering experiments, the Apotoxin 4869. She created it and ingested it like a fool. Coming to fool, that Conan boy. How idiot he was to feel stranded about Ran even knowing things won't change.

That moron had gone to Ran's cabin for a handful hours. Must be she'd waken up and got him talking. The talking thing was one such issue she wanted to experience. After having saw (incident) and working years under the umbrella of crimes and handling drugs, it was obvious she'd try to act different. If she ever let her walls down, rare was the chance one could find her social. Whatever way she was leading the life, the once brilliant scientist was adjusting to her circumstances.

Ai heard the a thump beside her seat. Turning back she was certain to find the aforementioned miniature detective. When the detective had been in normal form, he had called Kogoro to come, but Ai in this visit was for something else. Head in an awkward downwards position, he asked, "Where's ojiisan?"

"He came but he gone to washroom-oh! There he is!" Without paying any attention to the kids, Kogoro moved inside the cabin. It was good Kogoro was mentioned of Conan's visit in the hospital, otherwise he could create a good scene in the silent dorm. But..nothing about Shinichi..since he was already informed Conan instead took her here. The again interference of Shinichi in an injury case of Ran was not good for the hot-headed gentleman.

The kids shared no words among them. For that, Conan swam now in the tug of confusion. Did he said was right? Or that'd pushed the girl into fatal troubles? _Though I didn't say I'm Conan, that is okay, right?_ Whether he should consider himself romantic or fat-headed baka, Haibara could be his rescue he realized.

"You spent an awful time there!" Ai snapped him from the trail of thoughts. Sure her evil stare could kill anyone, but Conan was used to it.

"Yeah" By 'awful' he knew she meant what took him so long there. "I said her the thing!", he decreased his decibel and spoke sheepishly.

"About Black Organization!" Her face shot up with electric sparks that wanted to melt that nasty honest vocal cords of his. More so the ignition as she couldn't take the name aloud, in a bit of cursing!

"Idiot! I said I love her!" Conan replied cornering his blue eyeballs to the girl.

"God! What makes you feel you hit the goal? Shall I bring it to your notice that your logical immune created a good resistance to that antidote?" Ai commented while resting her orange blonde head on the chair. _As usual stupid he is!_

"It's none of your business!", by that he cleared any nose poking of her into his matters. At once, he forgot he was the smartest jerk to ask Haibara before. _No one understands me_, he felt pouted.

"Mmm..and now the lovesick girl will constantly think why he said before ditching me forever! You may be good in detective skills but the Romeo side of yours is terrible!" This one sentence Conan/Shinichi was very much convinced with. And why not..his classmates have been dating much before him! Not the Black Organization always an issue to blame for!

"And for that you called me, and I thought what the Meitantei felt my need here?", Rolling her cold brown orbs to the kid she asked.

"Umm..since I can't tell this to anyone..you know it's complicated!", Conan shrugged his shoulders and finished his nearly stammering sentence.

"Or _only_ that you said?", Suddenly Ai's suspicion grew to fullest. "Tell me!"

"I said her to deduce herself..about what can be the reason behind my irregularity!", and again Conan said, "Haibara! Enough with pretending! Look, I don't want to put her in trouble..I promise I'll make her convince the true fact later precisely!"

"Don't think I will let you do that. Remember my threat when you were in the hospital? That still continues, Shinichi! Well how many ones you're determined to make promise and shatter like fragile glass?" Ai had spoken rather in a permitted volume. Bad was Kogoro heard them while coming towards them.

"Oi kids! Don't talk loudly!", He shouted on them during pulling his coat to his arms. As he saw the doctor in-charge of Ran's health walking past him, he called him, "Dr. Akimoto-san! How's my daughter…Dr. Akimoto-san..!"

"Now who is shouting?", both the kids murmured in unison seeing the doctor was in too hurry to hear the weird detective screaming.

* * *

Later that noon, they arrived on informing Ran would be released within two days of continuous check-ups.

And things in the house were sure would change. Starting with the regular routine, making eatable meals, preparing the grade-schooler ready for school, clearing the oh-crap mess of trash cans here and there(sad she's treated like that!).

Apart from all these adjustment, they would miss Ran. Mouri Ran was one of them, maybe the most active member in the home. Managing school and stuffs, homeworks, she never did complain that she used to do chores more than an average teenager, ignoring some rare angst days! Leaving the part that she left something pricked her constantly, she did everything with a smile.

Or that 'something' ever let her to smile actually?

Not only the Shiragami sama case, during the visit in London also, and don't forget how Shinichi elegantly brought his dad's gold card to spend lavishly in that restaurant! Just..to tell her. How he blindly(there's no other adjective to describe it) was in that love. The thing was, the karate champ's mind never worked on the search that the tropical land visit was instead to tell her. Why he saw the black guy that day?

The damn Kogoro really felt concern for the girl who knew how to protect herself. _Why didn't she kicked him rather waiting for Conan?_ The same question which didn't leave him even coming back to home, had pestered the high-school-but-sorry-now-a-grade-schooler detective.

Conan had asked ojiisan his permission for a round trip around the explosion-prone scientist's yard. Swiftly locking his hands in his pants' pockets in the Kudo manner, he kicked pebbles, irrespective how odd fashioned his too much maturity drew curious eyes of said elders.

Home without Ran felt trees without chirping birds. The mentioned injury that Ran got was any matter of fatal concern, still he felt morose, given his stupid attitude without sense thoughts.

He occupied the bench as lonely as his current moment, secluded to a furthermost point of the park. He let out a sarcastic laugh about the simile. This used to be the place when Shinichi gave a vacation to cases spent chattering with Ran in their early teenage.

Now slowly Shinichi picturized himself a complete jerk! Reckless! Idiot! Moron! The amount of blaming adjectives would still fall short compared to the insane job he did. _These idea came from where? That I will wreck her life? I don't have the right to further torture her.._

_You could have said Shinichi-niichan is a cheater! He doesn't care for you, Ran-neechan! So go find someone who is for you..who won't leave you like him. You immature broke her heart for your own pleasure? Say, can you ever get back as Shinichi?_

_I knew this is last time..and I-I thought this chance will fade with my form as well so..no, No! Point of hurting her!_

_Even a scientist like Haibara knows more than you! You will always be called Conan-kun, not any names like Shinichi, leaving the ones know you.._

_Then it means..?_

_Forget her, letting her forget you as well. Only one way you can crack…don't ever acknowledge the true self of yours to her, after she finds you. There's no need for some mean words to break the already torned apart heart! You have your decisions..act like Conan rest of your life or see her shrink in pain.._

The rustling of leaves, children running before they get caught in hide and seek, proved taciturn to his ears. Nodding his head I accordance to the sense part of his, he tightened the wrap of shawl around his neck.

* * *

After having cup noodles for the absence of a sensible cook, he went to bed. Good, ojiisan tried to behave properly; his amazing skill of littering cans atleast temporally stopped, sighed Conan. It was normal after finishing his super easy homeworks, he would travel to Ran's room and that started the endless hours of sharing own schools' happenings, then tucking him to his bed.

That was the only way and hours he got to know Ran, not Ran-neechan! Gossips of her were mainly with Sonoko, sensei saying anything. But the big part, ofcourse the annoying teasing and sometimes if fate didn't favored, some pinpointing from fan girls of Shinichi. The kid in disguise loved his mentioning part greatly.

Ran's eyes would beam just like her smile when saying how still everyone teased like she was his wife, or something restricted for official lovebirds. Then again, her bright eyes would grow dimmer, and no one knew that thing so well like our detective. He could only try to wrap her back with damn small hands, could wipe her hot tears. But not sending the real culprit of her sorrow to jail, since it was he himself.

Loneliness? Yearnings? Or confusion regarding his feelings? Which one did accompany the outer appeared kid to his bed he couldn't recollect. A big yawn immediately swiped away tensed worries and his eyelids grew weightier ..

* * *

Sonoko had made quick visits to her instantly after returning from school. Her sheer girly gossips and shopping information did a good pain reliever and distractions from the unexpected events in a non-forgettable day like Ran endured.

Eri had insisted on first her visit to take Ran in her home. Though Ran convinced her that the injury was nothing that sort to take rest. Quite hard it was to convince someone who rule the court efficiently.

Ran cogitated how different her day starting from morning went through. Other than few checkups by nurses and medicines given, she was all alone in the dusk. And thoughts do rile up where you're alone..

Not even a detective or associated with any police branch, yet she was among the few teenagers who saw murders and dangerous criminals at sight. The constant play with cases and solution and then another was part of her life. Still..she could never think, a generally unromantic type Meitantei could say those!

Did he know her heart raced when he said the three words..simple but highly addictive? Now with the status update, if that could ride the roller coaster of their lives for eternity..

Tracing the memories, she blushed with the kissing part. Not once..but twice he had managed to do! However Ran found Shinichi was a terrible kisser. Still..it was ecstasy, for a girl like Ran who ventured this in her dreams till before that.

Ironic to her blissful imaginations, fate had created reality harshly for her..she couldn't fathom this was the last time she would see him..

Then a moment replayed infront of her eyes, which she deliberately wanted to shoo away like fly. Scenes of last night dashed in her rather absent minded tired brain. A very cute, completely charming dream she was having. Hand in hand with Shinichi, he saying something in her ears that made small childish smile brightening her face.

Later, something abrupt, not-to-mention things she saw..which made her red like tomato. As she was battling with the sensation, suddenly her whole body collapsed on the floor! End of dream. Result-a sprained ankle and muscle stiffening.

Could she say why her limb infuriated so much in the morning? That would definitely flourish her cause with emblematic dream. Mmh..that was only reason why she couldn't try to angle her stony foot that was so fearless compared to harmless robbers_. Damnit! Why I had to see the dream last night..that would never brought me here?_ That would never made that adrenaline rush inside Shinichi too!

Next the day was not something of great exciting things occurring. Next morning she would be released. So she kept counting hours then minutes when the time would arrive. Her eyelids slowly fell leading her to the land of impractical.

But dreams sometimes appear more realistic than the present situation. Ignoring the stinging pain, she sat up on her bed in a haste. Ran realized her whole body was sweating, some trickling down her cheeks. It was fairly cold to be in any kind of warm feeling. The temperature had risen for the scenes she saw, she heard, she judged.

Ran brought knees up to her chest, she rerun her past dream. It felt so real, but so impossible. The dream uncovered an ugly truth, which her mind wanted to discard but heart echoed constantly. _This can't be..never that happened before or can in future..but humans do make impossible! Like who thought before the medieval era that earth can rotate around sun? First I should get back home…_

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**A/N: A story consisting only angsty POVs, mmh..!**

**Why Haibara and her thoughts here, I don't know! And why the hell even Shinichi called her (that business of her was not so worthy), still in my buffering blurred mind. I just wrote and posted it, because I'm freakin' paranoid with this fandom and can't think anything else write now. Maybe Haibara would wonderfully be given a job on later chapters, not sure though..**

**Please think reviewing… **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Apologizing could forgive me for this late update, but I wasn't off for nothing! Throughout the entire last week, I was suffering with the disease called writer's block. Modifying each sections which didn't satisfy me in 1****st**** place still tortured me uncannily. Then I halted with this heck of editing, prepared for my exams, and then again ignored it.**

**Later I arrived to the way out that if I started writing a completely new one..! Believe me, this is totally different, each and every scene I wrote today at one go and posted it. I hope it's better than previous ones.**

**Sticky notes: Italics are for thoughts.**

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**The Dream Should Be True**

One week went in a simple non-illustrative way after Ran returned to Mouri Detective Agency. Life started as usual, and not to forget she took her chores downright as her cup of tea immediately on her return.

Who could stop a girl who was doing all the mopping and cleaning things since her preteens? And actually it was logical given the fact two irresponsible and ignorant to basic household chores were there, they had to pass the baton to the leader.

Anyone could bet the sudden trash appearing macroscopic or microscopic here and there was vanished by the magical wand played by Ran. She was the reason why a plain furnished house and interiors looked more than homely!

But the best thing the two males enjoyed was her 'handmade' meals! Occasionally just some rice and fish, still it could beat the essence made in heaven! Surely the meals consisting of canned readymade foods sickened their taste buds within her two days' absence. And the teenager inside the miniature stature thought maybe it was another reason he fell for her..

Ran was seemed to be on cloud nine, smiling often when they had breakfast, or humming some tunes while carrying basket of smelly clothes of them. Conan wondered if that cheerfulness would last long, though he wanted it to be a long term!

She obviously found herself on Mt. Fuji, or any peak depicting the immense joy she was holding in herself. She felt like throwing her arms wide, swirling like dancing to the direction of wind. Exactly everything a typical girl of any fairyland stories would fantasize, she wasn't contrast to this.

Strange fact was if asked, Ran would lie the graph of her glee was constant. On returning from hospital, more specifically that morning, she stupidly was smiling in the core of her heart. And why? She stroke the perfect cord for which she was content like detectives do on arriving to the solutions.

Her outing with Sonoko was seemed to be recurrent these days, or what the Meitantei thought. Never mind, he always wanted her to be happy and not just let out sigh of gloominess thinking about the sporadic friend-turned-lover.

* * *

"Conan-kun, no more!", Ran shouted on top of her lungs, fists adjusted to her waist, eyed the kid who was still engrossed in playing video games.

"Ran-neechan, just..oh yeah!" His goggled eyes were adhesived to the illogical world of car racing, as what Ran deduced.

"NO MORE! Conan-kun, it's 10, go to your bed!" She tried to snap but in vain.

"Wait, okay! Level 6 now..oh c'mon go go go! Wha?!", removing his strained eyes from the screen, he saw Ran with the plug on her hand. Her ear to ear grinning enraged the boy more.

"That's! Not! Fair!" Ran patted lightly to the ruffled brown spikes of the boy who was fuming for the unaccomplished mission.

_All's fair in…_ "Okay now like a good boy go to your bed. Hey don't forget to brush your teeth!" She said before she headed to her room. They had had dinner pretty early, as what Kogoro informed for he to be late on coming and would be getting his food on the go. Though this chances occurred rare, which made many hours Ran with steamed meals turning cold and then stuffing them into fridge. She darned hate these!

He did before-sleep jobs for rather a long moment than expected, since when he brushed his teeth it felt good and calming to converse with his own self. Really altogether his life turned out to be in turmoil or conflicting!

He hopped down the stepstool and went to his room. Though he wished Ran would ask him to come or she would go to his room before sleeping, he didn't this time sought for. _Maybe Ran needed time.._

He strolled with careful steps since the lights of the main room went off leaving..a particular faint stream of light. Conan on treading to the source of the light recognized it to be illuminating from Ran's room. A stray of beam, peeking from the slightly ajar door.

_Shall I knock, or not? What she's up to now? Did something happened?_ Random coherent and incoherent thoughts flooded his head. Already he was done with too much thought about Ran after the confession, so pressurizing it with tones of rocks was a bad idea..

Just as he angled his forefinger to knock on the door, he heard a simultaneous call from Ran, "C'min, Conan-kun!". Her tone sounded like she was waiting for him and knew he'd knock.

She was sitting on her knees with a pillow on her lap, back arched perfectly to lean towards the wall. Though the yellow light was distinctively luminous in the darkness-enveloped room outside, it was not even yellow instead an off-white beam spread in her room.

"Ran-neechan, why you didn't sleep till now?" Conan as usual tilted backwards his head to face the rather tall teen. Sure it was the exact time Ran preferred to doze off. But inside he could feel the way her face appeared to be; mostly emotionless, absent-minded; spoke dozens of volumes of her engaging mind.

"Quite a big boy you are?" Ran said the words, in contrast to her emotions painted on her face. _Ofcourse she was possessed with something tonight!_

"Actually, I didn't feel sleepy!", she said while her gaze falling blankly towards the table-lamp. Kind of fixing her gaze to some lifeless object helped her to gather words to blurt out the real reason. As she turned her focus on the kid she realized he kept on staring at her with full of curiosity, expecting valid reasons.

"You know what..Shinichi had proposed to me!" Ran chirped like a bird with her grin spreading across her face. She knew Conan would jump up reflecting her attitude, instead he gave a small smile, more like a sad one.

"What! You're not happy for me?", her eyelids fell partly as if surprised by the action of this whiz kid_. _

"Ofcourse I'm happy! But maybe you deserved much more than this." _Ran deserved someone better than me!_

The heater was definitely turned on, still a cold, rather a harsh shivery wind blew and perhaps went inside his heart. A wind, created by his senses not by nature.

"No..! Conan-kun! No one can be as caring and thoughtful about me than he is! Maybe whatever situations took place, people did say he was ignorable to my feelings. But he was my friend before we became lovers. So it's foreseeable for me to find what actual problem is providing the physical distance between us.." she put her hands on Conan's shoulder, "So then we'll be forever together!"

Hearing the simple words yet made his heart pound..his eardrum beating loudly. Her feelings were no unknown to him, but her lust, that bling in the azure stars showed it was nothing what she said. By finding she meant the job he gave her before, for which she can go to any limit to uncover, as what he believed, the one and only truth.

"Hope Shinichi-niichan keeps his words this time!"Conan babbled more to himself than to Ran. Because it's polite to reply someone who discussed so very important, and he stupidly chose those words. Automatically he mentally face-palmed.

"Yeah, ofcourse!", a gleeful innocent smile flashed on her face.

Her problem with sleep was not for any physical issue. It was her thinking all and all about Shinichi. She didn't know why her so familiar room didn't helped her to sleep, although she did in the hospital because of tranquilizers. The hormonal ache was something too undeniable that could not leave her so easily untill an unless she engaged herself in more dutiful works.

But Conan's reassuring presence everytime soothed her tensed nerves..just like Shinichi used to do it before.

Definitely she felt she could concentrate loosening her stiffened muscles and fall her tired eyes. She mumbled 'thank you' to the obliging boy.

Before that, Conan realized it was best to leave her room now, so he bade 'goodnight' and went to his room.

As soon as she clutched the fabric of her pillow, heavy eyelids fell. Because her every day outing made the teen workout her grey cells. With inferring the hints of cases alongside otousan and others, she normally shunned it. This time was different. Not a do or die situation, but a search about recovering a hidden treasure all by herself.

* * *

Ran had woken up earlier than a normal Sunday morning, tightening her apron around her form starting to master her breakfast cookery skills.

The recent client of Kogoro gave him an early appointment in his own office. For the past days, Kogoro didn't found anything interesting in it to declare a Detective type case. The arrogant grandiloquent man always had the urge to show people he could surpass the dexterity of any detective present in Japan. And this case already was so boring he felt like rejecting it. Still he went on with the slightest hope.

Kogoro was not fascinated to tell the details to Conan (or he ever told!). The egoistic atmosphere of his let him to dig in some charming hints and move on on his own. Having breakfast, he rushed to the door sensing it got a bit too late. On his way he thought many dull cases though had turned out to be quite knotty and tangled after Conan came in light, later detangling those.

Conan wanted to sleep for some more hours. Suddenly the shrill honking of a nearby parked car initiated. He struggled to block the annoying volume with his pillow, but went fruitless.

It had to be strange for ojiisan to be so mute about the recent case to him. His detective bee didn't leave easily stinging till he used his grey matter into solving puzzles. All he knew ojiisan couldn't avoid him longer, sighed Conan during brushing his teeth.

Everytime infront of mirror, that damn reflection appeared which he hated more than those heinous psychopath killers. Normally he looked elsewhere. Problems arose when combing his spiky hair.

Adjusting his blue blazer and bowtie, he went to the table. "Whatcha got in breakfast!", he stared towards Ran with childish gape of inquisitiveness.

"Toast and eggs. Here, take it!" She pushed the the plates full of mentioned foods towards him on the table and they both ate together.

Considering today to be Sunday, a weekend passed with no roaming outside felt too dim. So both arrived to the conclusion-after sauntering around few places, they would separate on their different destinations.

Ran had promised Sonoko that she'd be helping her to get a dress for hanging out with Makoto-kun.

On the other hand, Conan was quite busy with the Shounen Tantei to be deciphering a code they recently found in one of the books from a library.

That settled their respective aims, both got dressed and went outside. Ran put on her brown cardigan to beat of the chill she knew would be expecting when they'd returning in the evening.

It was exact awkwardness every time both intertwined their fingers when walking side by side. Conan as Shinichi never did that, so he knew it sent tingling effect to his skin. Added to the already steamed sensation, he felt she squeezed his hand a bit tighter. _Damnit! Remove those feelings!_

The Sakura trees were mostly bare with leaves. The actual aura of the baby pink crown was not in view now.

Many people were engaged in removing the last batch of the old golden crisp leaves from the street.

The breeze though was not that chilly, enough of a feeling to enjoy the nature's elements. Some wintery birds were either sitting on the branches or preparing migration to distant warmer places.

Few people taking afternoon-walks, making the usually busy street of Beika sparse populated.

At one go, Conan could say a very cheerful environment he was viewing and experiencing.

* * *

They wandered alongside the main street where a particular afternoon traffic they saw.

The sun was about to set for the days getting shorter. They both decided now they could go on their own ways.

When the sky was painted with watercolors of orange, specks of red and yellow complementing each other beside the pinkish clouds, birds announced the nature's day was off and starting of dusk.

Right at this moment, after their small chat when Ran giggled for a certain teasing issue related to Genta-kun, he watched her.

The yellow and crimson hues glittered on her face, making her cute giggle more cute. Her hair changed the shade to honey strokes. Those blue eyes were less blue but more of a silver shining.

She turned out to be the perfect angel symbolizing sunsets. _She was beautiful…_

The one word he wanted to say in her ear repeatedly, whatever the time was. One arm wrapped perfectly around her waist, taking the scent of her hazelnut hair, brushing his slender fingers on her silky skinned cheeks, saying how much she meant to him than ordinary teenage infatuations.

It was so disgusting to be beside someone you love like nothing, but existing mentally light years away. The faster he stopped thinking these, the better all their lives could turn into satiable. _Ironic to be her little brother! _

How many times both walked during the sunsets, but seldom saw her in this charm. Sigh he couldn't probably tell her in actual form!

Just as he was staring towards the love of his life, he was brought back to the earth when the lime colored scarf escaped from the chains of Ran's hands and flew away.

And the next thing he did, obviously without second thought. His legs and heart against the will of his mind went coherently and crossed the road to pick up the scarf that stabilized on the other side of the road.

All he could hear Ran screaming, "SHINICHI, WATCH OUT!", to which he equally with the same volume replied, "DON'T WORRY, RAN!"

Later picking the disobedient apparel, he double-checked the road both direction and swiftly made his way back to her.

Conan handed off the scarf to her. But he noticed..a sinister expression occupying the face of an usual naïve looking girl.

Though her hands went to grab it back, her constant half-moon gaze was immobilized on him. He felt like to stutter, but why he would?

Her focus matured into such that Conan felt it sent him poisoned arrows towards him, especially his heart.

He couldn't control the curiosity to inquire, "What happened, Ran-neechan?", giving a fake and idiotic smile to calm the atmosphere.

"Don't you know?", And when finally a smile crept above her jaw line, she appeared to look like Kaito Kid, currently though this one was more fearf-

Crap! I-I answered back her as Shinichi!? Slowly a sickening effect started to dominate his heart. Though not stammering outside, inside his stammer peaked the highest of the Richter scale!

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhanger had to be there, provided the next scene is a bit too long and ideal instead for a single chapter. **

**Confession time- This was the crappiest thing I ever wrote both pen &amp; paper and digitally. I'd planned on different settings, found it futile, deleted it, set it afresh to fit for the next chapter. Only describing nature felt to be easy..**

**Hope you liked it anyway. And about the case as the title goes…I promise it's not that far and sure will approach (maybe knocking at the door of the story and requesting for letting it in). **

**By the way, please review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Can I ever escape that torturing bug which makes me this sporadic updater? Maybe someday, who knows… ;)

And I utterly bitterly keenly HOPE those who found the former chapter to make their eyebrows twitch for its unexplainable events, this one may (and obviously should!) help them! If not, then don't forget to reply by clicking on the 'Review' button.

Well, wishing a late Happy May Day to all!

* * *

**Forgotten Promises**

_Shall I say something? Or be mute?_ All the devil incoherent advices his inner self responded to his question on how to react when your girl finds out the long-time secret of yours..which can even take the relationship in the verge of endanger!

Already the russet spikes went more spiky with electrifying shivers. The aqueous beads layered upon the skin which the evening icy wind couldn't vaporize. His wet cowlick bangs thankfully covered the fear-stricken eyes as they drooped with weight.

"Well, you don't have to say, anything. Just announce my task's over, by blurting out that I Discovered you!" Her slender arms crossed and she gave an eerie smirk, which was instead a victory smile on closer inspection. Victory for knowing the hidden treasure and also whose it was.

Conan's pale skin got a blood-sucked whitish hue. Each and every morphological and anatomical features took place in his body what he used to see one of the protagonists in a horror movie goes through.

_Breathe! Breathe in, breathe out! Perfect!_ He swallowed an empty lump in his throat.

"But you still didn't tell me what happened?", an innocent smile masked his frightened features.

"WHAT? Look, enough with fooling me because you already became a foolhardy." Now slowly the merrier colors on her face turned into tensed.

"When I became a fool?" Conan tried all the tender-looking act whenever responding to her.

"Like you replied me as "Ran, don't worry"?" Ran answered in a doubtful resonating tone. _He should have surrendered now, right?_

"No..I said Ran-neechan! Maybe the noise of cars substituted my reply into that?" _Yes, I'm going correct!" _Conan's panting converted into calm breathing.

"B-but, PLEASE SHINICHI! Don't forget it was EXACTLY what you did back in our middle school years, and the exact thing you said. I did to check your reaction..now wait, let me explain everything!" She just threw hand motioning the kid to stop for he prepared to act in his defense.

"I had the dream on last night in hospital..that you were leaving me on that Tropical Land. And as you were running off assuring me you'll be back, the seventeen year old image transformed into seven year-old, saying you'll be back as Conan this time!"

"What can it mean, I'm Shinichi-niichan?" Conan rested his head backwards in the support of his crossed hands, searching somewhere to jump and wrap himself in darkness which was better than facing this ugly truth.

"Yes I also thought it can't be true, perhaps some subconscious. But I took it as a hint. Back in home, I said to you people I went everyday with Sonoko. That was an excuse. An idea to find the source of all the allowance you get, made me investigate those records, in Kudou residence."

And there, cannot be any lies! The parents of Shinichi, i.e., Yuusaku and Yukiko Kudou were the names who still did for some someone with the tag-Shinichi Kudou/Conan Edogawa!"

"Now there's nothing for you to argue, isn't it Conan or Shinichi?", Ran's expression was as frigid like the glaciers of Antarctica. But hot magma planning to come out as lava from the crater of her head if, he said the opposite..

"Maybe the lights in that room flickered a bit too much! And this wild idea of me getting allowance from Shinichi-niichan's parents never crossed my mind…"

"No more with these! I thought we're now lovers so can trust each other but you don't. Like everytime, you don't keep promises!"

After his blank helpless gaze towards the running smoke-evolving vehicles shifted to the girl in front of him, he assumed he saw her eyes as shimmering crystals. That crystallized orbs weren't stabilized.

Slowly as few dews collected at the bottom of her eyes, she hiccupped and said, "You know what you're to me now? The worst liar alive on this earth. You heard me? A LIAR!"

That shrill voice was even more razor-sharp and harsh than the present wind blowing around Conan. That word virtually bleed his eardrum.

Was that he expected out of Ran when he would answer a negative statement? She could have startled back and agreed his theory with a poignant sigh. Only that. But this was never in his wildest dreams.

And dreams. Conan in his life put dreams like all myths and superstitions as stereotypical and unbelievable. But who knew this could turn his life upside down?

That word kept ringing now in his heart, pulsating in the same amplitude as his heartbeats. He kept on staring at the horizon where minutes ago Ran's form disappeared, like the sun did and brought dusk.

His mind always was conquered about her and that 4-letter word when he was in Genta-kun's house. The Shounen Tantei though found the usual intelligence of him that deciphered any code with the speed of light was absent, they figured it gave them chances to get their own time to decode with their own skills as well.

* * *

"Damn! This saucepan is gone right at this moment!"

For several hours, Ran struggled with the raw materials of sushi. The fate got to be her dagger's dawn; each and every items for dinner were in dearth. To add to her boiling anger, recently the saucepan was playing hide and seek with her!

Conan could bet he was watching flames all over her head. Thank god she didn't gave him her infamous face full of fury! He even heard she occasionally groaned, "Grrh!". The tigress adjusted her 'smashing stone into pieces' fist by another hand in the mode of destroying anything that came in her way..

This should be the first time Conan saw her in devil-head-of -doom nature in the kitchen. No fumes or puff of smoke evolved from her head though, instead came from the burner, giving a black aura to the kitchen. Absolute Judgment Day for Conan alone if Kogoro didn't accompany him!

Ran's bad mood several times made Conan and that snob 'friends in need..indeed'. Otherwise the picture was a whole lot different!

When like any grade-schooler's right timing he arrived home, the sky by that time was bit too black, darker than coal. No clouds shaded the dense tint into brown; perfectly matching the usual dense but more now the dejected boy.

Upon returning, Conan found already a battle had initiated, Ran and kitchen equipments were the warriors. It was a general knowledge that Ran saw cooking to be her best remedy for her miserable moments. The whole scenario however was mutated currently.

Many of the containers and cutlery were spread out on the floor, her disheveled pink apron on the chair swaying by the wind from the open windows. Some colorful string of words escaped her mouth while pondering if she should continue her 'work'.

Finally the elder Tantei got at home when the clock struck 9 pm. Seeing Ran's no attention to his arriving, Kogoro settled his thoughts and decided with his best calm behavior.

Eyes as half moon and face with unreadable expression, she came with what one could consider as 'food'. Boiled and swollen vegetables, too much baked sushi and burning mashed potato in separate dishes. The two males conversed in telepathy convincing not to say anything tonight.

She rarely stared at anything but at her made-by-okaasan-type-disastrous-meals. Silently the dinner was finished, excluding random clatter of the dinnerware, she put all the dishes in the dishwasher and went to her room.

Not even a monosyllable she uttered. This paved way for cold war towards him and Kogoro..

* * *

The irreconcilable girl conquered Ran. The usual cheerful, teasing, energetic, afraid though sometimes, and ready to show Karate skills spirit was currently dominated by a melancholy, tired with every tasks, constantly swearing, cold shouldered spirit.

She seldom talked with otousan, mainly about the preferences for next meal or when he would return home. With the other male..well..he appeared to be both invisible and inaudible.

Ran obediently busied herself with cooking, household chores, doing homework if present in home. She definitely resembled a robot, doing nothing but following a mechanical life and starting/concluding the assigned job with a given command.

Conan could neither in his pseudo-kid phase or in actual phase remember any such event occurred where Ran managed to stay mute for more than a week. Usually such incidents happened when Shinichi slipped his teasing words of her or sleeping Kogoro. This time none leg-pulled the other, or got offended. Discrete causes, symptoms turning more devastating.

* * *

The chibitized scientist had slipped in the same shoes like Ran, except in her own way.

The common attitude of Haibara relatively changed into more a reserved version of hers when around Conan. Because she before-hand had warned of the consequences of Conan's confession. Now she knew he should face all the backlash without a helping hand or anyone consoling in his mayhem state.

Conan didn't babble about that afternoon incident. It was years of analyzing people's expression, that Haibara in one-go got his glum emotions all got to do with Ran. And it just took her crescent-eyes-but-glaring mode to which eventually Conan surrendered and discussed the thing.

When oneday Conan came to Hakase to fix his kick shoes, he got damn infuriated with Haibara's comments.

"….so this brat doesn't know his superior idiotic trait is the main reason why the syndicate hasn't been caught on the day he first saw them!" She kept on scrutinizing the conical flasks containing her experimental antidotes.

"Duh, since when did you got the ability of face-reading?", un-amused Conan asked Haibara while he was reading a Manga of social satire-themed. For minutes he tried to discover any reason for its hit in the recent market, later ending up being the prey of boredom and her murderous speeches both.

"When you first did the silly thing back in London. One thing, aren't you nervous that she already know you? Now as The syndicate will get the two of us, she'll also get involved." This comments could have been endless if Hakase didn't came up with repaired and improved shoes. So Conan effortlessly ignored her further scoffs.

The feeling of bashing himself or getting drowned into in-confidence, was not the nature of this Meitantei. But he was caged in being miserably nostalgic..of those days when he was in his true form.

This kid who was once the high-school detective having his own fanclubs, fangirls and media running just after he finished yet another case, was a distant memory now.

Neechan ruffling his hair, chattering 'such a cutie' remarks, elders giving advices from dawn to dusk, some decade-younger kids hopping beside him- this was his permanent life. The worst punishment a human could receive!

Life is a patient's body, under the scrutiny of expert surgeons. If the surgeons' timing is very minutely wrong, still it can provide adverse effects on the patient. Similarly one mistake you do, it is an eternal imprint on your future. Conan's chase after the black guy was an incorrigible deed, a nonrecurring act.

* * *

"Uh-ha! I knew it was correct!", Blink blink, "Ran, are you even on earth?", Sonoko tilted her head while managing her curtain of honey colored hair not to block her gaze on Ran.

The sums of Theory of Relativity were given and Sonoko either perplexedly looked on the question or scribbled something. As soon as finding the answer, she peeped on Ran's notebook and flashed a smile getting her answer same.

Ran for some days became extremely good with her lessons. All subjects she was performing with grace. Better grades, outstanding projects, answering most viva in the class. The whole saturation of mind to herself and studies back at home made her one of the best students in her grade.

But everytime she used to be absent-minded, after finishing any problem.

"Yeah, what?" Serene blue orbs blankly gaped towards the board where chalk-calligraphed questions were spread.

"Nothing!" The bell rang declaring the end of the school day, so whatever Sonoko thought to say next was interrupted.

Sonoko kept on insisting Ran for shopping. She seriously missed that hangout for these days. But each time the reply was a no.

Ran felt bad that she ignored the wishes of her best girlfriend. But doing something like studying for non-stop hours made her mind preoccupied, from the betrayal of the Meitantei..

She sighed in relief that she didn't say about the confession to Sonoko at first place. That was a good sign, after all these!

The heiress many a times enquired the cause of her recent modification, but fruitlessly earning a 'nothing' reply. Best girlfriends they were, it is very much practical and understandable when situations like these appear. Some worries and unhappiness have comforting words to ease the pain. Whereas many such detestable events occur when it is best not to poke your friend too much instead let time calm the emotions.

So apart from bragging like a teasing adolescent, she could also realize the later part of saddened feeling gripped Ran. It was hence flesh and blood to response to that stimuli. Her usual 'Detective geek' relevant leg-pulling ceased with coming days.

Seeing that her friend who preferred to be inside at home nowadays, and she herself wanted to spend time with Ran, Sonoko suggested, "I need some strong outlines to finish the summary for world literature. Can you help me?", she posed like a kid asking candy from her mother.

"Hey why not, you can over to my ho-"

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouuu! I was intending to ask you! How about?", The first part Sonoko said while hugging Ran tightly choking her breathe.

"Yeah..then I can revise more of it."

They waved 'goodbye' and went on to different paths. The crimson maple and golden old leaves crushed under her feet as she headed home. These sounds made her more lonesome, as alone as the trees without the leaves.

The distance from her school to home was not that time-taking as she was taking. Slow pace, legs heavy with each time descending and ascending from the ground, focusing her stare on the charcoal road and hearing patiently the cries of birds.

Even if her hair blew and got disheveled, she didn't arranged it into the proper way. She did try to arrange words, but could she prove her work was not something in vain? She always lost against that boy.

She chose no names to address him. It hurt her more..

* * *

"Hey Ran, ojiisan knows that I'm coming?" Sonoko ran to the door leading to the way out of the classroom.

"Not needed. He seldom spends hours in the house now." Ran commented and clutched securely the strap of her backpack. She was happy for making Sonoko the same and granting her wish.

"Again occupied with a new case? What about that? You know anything?" They were now crossing the sports-ground of Teitan High.

"Nothing at all! He just have breakfast, sometimes comes home to have dinner or not, spend the night and then again the same. Only it's a case I know", replied Ran.

Ran now snorted for Indulging her super important precious hours for knowing whereabouts of previous cases. She was done with it. Since what could be her contribution to the world of arrogant males?

Today she scored highest in math's and history, easily becoming in the good books of her sensei. She wished this studious fame extended till her studies' life completed. These attention from the heads, praises from classmates, surely advanced her to aim for some higher degrees.

But that was not in her mind while returning home. One of the classmates today commented that if she excelled this way, she could beat the records of Kudou-kun easily.

Ouch..that hurt!

Then all of them including her Math's-sensei chorused in unison that was obvious truth. One day full of happiness was not something she could cherish peacefully, ever!

But Sonoko coming over her house perhaps could comfort her?

Both realized on returning that use of heavier uniform jacket was needed to wrap their bodies from the shivery atmosphere. They chatted on usual girly stuff, except Sonoko censoring those teasing related to a certain boy..

Perchance it was only Sonoko with whom she really conversed. Excluding home, few now saw her replying in other than 'no/yes', or answering back a question. For Sonoko, she was still Ran.

* * *

_Annoying! Why he have to be here? Damnit!_ Mentally Ran exploded swearing because some words in high volume were not legal inside home. _Doesn't he have his friends to play with? Or considering to perform like a teen?_

Wholeheartedly Ran prayed to God for removing that brat outside when she would arrive home. Normally that was not a problem since she went to her room and plugged earphones while studying to eradicate any possible voices of him.

God was busy with else.

That boy opened the door, greeted Sonoko with a smile, which Ran somehow thought it was for her also.

More disturbing? Sonoko chirped beside Conan, patted his hair, pinched his cheek, shared some words even. They got along with each other too well!

Whereas Shinichi sniffed his nose with Sonoko's presence.._Well duh! Trying to act smarter?_

An hour passed, both with the most intrigued eyes read the collection of Romantic poems. Sonoko often consulted with Ran for deciding the correct figure of speech, summarizing the style of any poems.

Ran rested her chin on her fist, going inside the lines describing a particular village-girl in a William Wordsworth's work. Then Sonoko with begging eyes pleaded Ran if she could help her with Arithmetic sums, which she hopefully brought here.

Without any hesitation Ran beamed yes and went out to bring the books.

Conan did nothing but passed a lazy leisure searching murder cases on Google. He desperately wanted to have time with Shounen Tantei, but some or the other had errands. Then professor too was busy, thus he was forlornly spending time as a couch potato.

Though eyes each time ran towards her, what she did, and how. Sigh she intently chose to sit facing her back to him.

Now as Ran was absent, Sonoko muttered, "Wonder what is the cube of 12? Gah! Lemme see-" and as soon as as she opened the cover of her phone to start calculate it..

"It's 1728!..Maybe?" Shinichi temporarily appeared and uttered the aptitude while in Conan' form. _Crap!_

"Yes it's right!", And Sonoko's wan eyes brought her pupils to the corner, focusing on the kid.

Hanging his jaw like a foolish cartoon, Conan replied, "I'd seen Professor to type this in his computer, so I guessed. Wow, I'm correct, he he!"

"Oh Ran, Conan-kun is really amazing, you should've seen it right now!"

"I already know. Isn't it?" The last sentence was said to Conan flashing a evil smirk, enough to turn stone into water.

"By the way Ran..did something happen between you guys?" Sonoko motioned her forefinger addressing the warriors of the cold war.

"Why no! Why Sonoko?" Ran shrugged.

"No..it was normal if Shinichi was instead of Conan, it seems like those days when you fought and put the barrier!" She whispered the reason to Ran. Vain. Shinichi's cat ears heard everything to make his life more dented.

Continuing for some minutes, as the clock displayed hands in a straight line, Sonoko readied herself to return home.

Ran made sure she would start her routine home-staying. She closed the door, locked it properly. Without sighting the boy on cushions and couch, she was about to get her apron, then..

_Ring..Ring..Ring.._

Fastening the knot behind her back, she got to the landline's receiver.

"Moshi moshi!"

"Mouri-san? Glad to hear your voice!"

"Who are you?"

"A relative back in US of Edogawa Conan. Could you lend him to speak?"

"Ah..yes!" Thinking about the suspicious tone of the caller suppressed the irritation to call Conan for the first time, though with pronouns.

"Moshi moshi!"

"Atleast you won't forget my voice, will you..Kudou-san?"

_G-G-Gin?!_

"Hey you there?"

"Continue.."

"Don't reply me with words, just hum yes or no!"

And he continued without Conan's approval. Beside him Ran forgot her next chore by fixing her gaze on how Conan's facial expression mixed up. The hand holding the receiver was vibrating. Other than few events, like when she said about her mission accomplished, his features were these. _Does that mean something to do with being Shinichi?_ Her heart didn't lose the hope he would oneday reveal it to her.

"Kogoro is in our hands. With his 'help' we found out about you, being now as Conan.

That 'client' was actually Korn. Hearing exceptional detective deductions of this foolish fellow in the news guided us here."

Long story short. If you want him to be safely delivered to the agency, surrender yourself to us."

Don't try to be clever! Definitely no second person to accompany you, including your sweetheart. Weaponless presence wanted. Don't utter anything to others , we have our hawks' eyes on You only!"

_Tiii…_

The line went dead, without Gin confirming whether Conan heard everything, just he speedily gave the secret address to reach the destination. The command was piercing and brutal, blood rushing through his veins echoeing drum-beating threat. Beads of perspiration dotted all over his revealing skin.

Most of the part of his body froze. But mind constantly worked out with industrial brain cells to come up with a way in the nick of time.

It was not the moment to criticize how a self-acclaimed Tantei forget his senses. His miniature form found the previous couch where his hind limbs slowly rested on it. His mind with every methods thought how to tackle the syndicate, and there was enough heat generated to charge the thought process.

Conan rushed to the rack carrying the overcoats, got one, opened the lock of the door..

"Where are you going?", stern but concerned tone mixed in her breath.

"To Hakase's!" And he didn't wasted time to face her wrath for not properly answering.

* * *

"One hour?" Both his eyes and mouth reached the gigantic size upon hearing the time.

"Sorry Shinichi-kun, I can make gadgets for a drop of a hat. This is..this will take time!" Agasa didn't face Conan to reply for time was too short to deal now.

"Kudo-kun, if you pester him further, more time he'll take so leave him undisturbed!" Then Haibara led Conan and brought to a place from where noise couldn't reach to Professor's ears.

"Haibara, it's already 6:30! The address he gave is out of the city. Now when will I prepare myself before ojiisan returns without a scratch?"

"Does panicking helps you? Meitantei like you never does that Kudo-kun! Map out the ways you'll reach and knock the entire crime syndicate." As per what Haibara said, Conan did brought forth his hands and intertwined the fingers just like all discrete hints he was trying to intertwine so as to successfully throw the idiots in jail.

Later as he came out of Agasa's home, he realized he was without money to catch a cab. Surely he have to go back to the Agency and..face Ran.

As he was running like a cheetah, just infront of the Agency's gate he visualized a silhouetted shadow. That shadow cleared itself into a solid form, revealing Ran with holding her clutch and directing to Conan.

"You forgot it, right?" Just after questioning the boy, she stopped a speeding cab and pulled the small hand of the boy, making the final statement, "You just can't go without me!"

"You're risking yourself! Go back home!"

"Am I to obey the orders of a little kid? Just get inside already.." Conan knew that sarcastic comment she made more to make him allow herself in the business. He cursed himself for his stupidity for the umpteenth time.

"Now you just explain me what happened over the phone, all in elaborate details!"

* * *

**A/N:** Yay….B.O. is finally here! And I eagerly waited for when I should make their entry..I don't think 4 chapters made it a long time?!

I said in the previous chapter, that this 2 chapters could have been a waaay lot different if I didn't ceased and thought Ran's past methods for discovering Conan was a total baseless thingy. The main idea was given by one of my friends, Ichthyophobia, where we happen to have conversed in Poirot Café! I suggest anyone who read this story, shall check this amazing community, thanks and a big hug to her!


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